List of Trees and Plants
This list provides basic information about all the plants that a creator can place in CAW, including where they would normally turn up in a real world environment. The Sims 3 is fiction, of course, so creators can place plants where they like, but this resource should help those who are aiming for a more realistic flora layout. __TOC__ =Shrubs= Banana Leaf :(Banana Leaf on Wikipedia) Banana Leaf is a dwarf banana plant, often a stunted version of a banana tree grown in a climate where it cannot thrive. It is suitable for temperate regions where banana plants would not grow, or for poor growing conditions in a tropical world. Boxwood :(Boxwood on Wikipedia) Boxwood grow almost exclusively in tropical and subtropical regions, so they are most suitable for warm worlds. Brambles :(Brambles on Wikipedia) Brambles are any plant in the genus Rubus of the Rose family, although the word "brambles" is often used to refer to low-growing, thorny and tangled weeds of any plant family. The brambles in The Sims 3 work well as generic, weedy scrub. Buckthorns :(Buckthorn on Wikipedia) Buckthorns are a broad group of trees found throughout the temperate and subtropical Northern Hemisphere, so unlikely to occur in extremely hot and arid or cold worlds. Buckthorns appear in The Sims 3 as both a shrub and a tree Bulrushes :(Bulrushes on Wikipedia) Bulrushes are somewhat grass-like plants that are particular common in tropical parts of Asia and South America. It's really not clear what the "bulrushes" in The Sims 3: World Adventures are based upon, and it's probably safe to just slap them down and call them "random big grass plant" because they look considerably more like a species of grass than of bulrushes. Cattails :(Cattails on Wikipedia) Cattails are mostly found in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are found in specific regions of the Southern Hemisphere such as Australia and New Zealand. These are found in wetlands, and are often the first plants to colonise newly exposed mud. They can be invasive, and very damaging to waterways as they can prevent water flow. Coleuses :(Coleus on Wikipedia) Coleus are tropical plants found in African, Asian and Australian regions. They aren't likely to thrive in temperate regions except inside glasshouses, and will not survive in cold regions at all. Ferns :(Fern on Wikipedia) Ferns are a very ancient group of plants with a very wide distribution worldwide, however the only fern in The Sims 3 currently in the Boston Fern, which is only found in humid tropical forests. When grown in a garden it needs full or partial shade. Generic These plants are generic and made to place in any cultivated garden space, although they are unlikely to appear in extremely arid worlds as they are very green and woody shrubs. These plants are designed to look like generic weeds, and work well in overgrown yards. Both are miscategorised as flowers in the Build mode catalogue. Pampas Grasses :(Bulrushes on Wikipedia) Pampas Grass is Cortaderia selloana, an extremely prolific plant native to southern South America. It is used in some parts of the word as an ornamental grass, but in many parts of the world - such as California, Hawaii, New Zealand and South Africa - it is an invasive weed. It grows all over the place in temperate regions, it's extremely versatile. The "Swamp Grass" introduced in The Sims 3: Ambitions appears to be a larger, more mature pampas grass. Water Lilies :(Water Lilies & Lotuses on Wikipedia) Water Lilies are generally members of the family Nymphaeaceae, and they come in both hardy and tropical varieties. However, only the water lilies introduced in The Sims 3: Ambitions might be water lilies. The base game "water lilies" are based on lotuses, which are not water lilies. The Chinese Water Lilies introduced in The Sims 3: World Adventures are also lotuses. Lotuses are suitable for any cultivated aquatic garden, but mainly occur in the wild in Asia, upper African, some parts of North America, and in the Caribbean. Even though they are not water lilies, when creators want to give the impression of water lilies, these do the job just fine. =Flowers= Agapanthuses :(Agapanthus on Wikipedia) Agapanthuses are native to South Africa, and cultivated in many gardens around the world. Most agapanthuses are not frost-hardy, so it would be uncommon to see them in colder worlds. In some countries, like New Zealand, they are an invasive weed. Azaleas :(Azaleas on Wikipedia) Azaleas prefer to live in the shade, make good filler for the shadier spots around the sides of a building, or underneath trees. Azaleas grow in a very wide range of climates, so creators can realistically place them (in shady spots) in most worlds. Chinese Lantern :(Chinese Lantern on Wikipedia) Chinese Lantern is a term used for a very wide range of plants around the world - anything that looks a bit like a lantern seems prone to getting this name, but the most well-known Chinese Lantern plant is Physalis alkekengi, and this is what the Sims 3 plant is based on. It is native to Asia and Europe, but cultivated in many countries. This plant is actually a kind of gooseberry so fits it well in herb gardens, however it is extremely invasive, so it would look more realistic with a small fence around it, or growing out of an object like a tyre or box. Daisies :(Daisies on Wikipedia) Daisies are closely related to sunflowers and marigolds, and they are found in many parts of the world. Daisies are used in folk medicine, so could be used in a herb garden similar to dandelions and lavender. Daisies generally prefer full sun, and often grow as weeds, so they can be used on overgrown lots as wildflowers. Dandelions :(Dandelions on Wikipedia) Dandelions are small weeds and suitable for overgrown yards. They are a very widespread plant, and grow best in temperate climates. Dandelions are not typically garden plants, but may be part of a herb garden as they have some medicinal value and are sometimes used in tea and wine-making. Dianthuses :(Dianthus on Wikipedia) Dianthuses are native to Europe and Asia, with a few species in Africa, but more importantly, the base game dianthus in The Sims 3 is not based on a dianthus, but on a painfully oversaturated pink daisy. Creators will have to choose whether to pretend they are placing dianthuses, or daisies. See the daisy category below if you decide to use them as daisies instead of ninja-dianthuses. Heathers :(Heathers on Wikipedia) Heathers are all dwarf shrubs in the family Ericaeae, and together with other dwarf shrubs they appear in heathland which is typically warm and dry. Heathers are a very large family and it is not clear what species any of the Sims 3 heathers might be based on, so they can be considered generic. Heathers will often grow beneath a canopy of oak trees. Hydrangeas :(Hydrangea on Wikipedia) Hydrangeas are native to Asia. Most garden hydrangea are deciduous, but in the Sims 3 of course they act as evergreens due to the lack of weather. They are especially common in China, Japan, and Korea, but also in some islands of Portugal where they thrived after being introduced. They are a common garden plant in temperate regions, white hydrangeas being by far the most common, and pink hydrangeas being especially popular. Lavenders :(Lavender on Wikipedia) Lavender is a fragrant plant, and some varieties are edible, so it suits cottage lots with herb gardens, as well as the margins of country lanes. Lavender grows throughout Europe, Asia, and in parts of Africa, and is generally cultivated in gardens, but escapes into the wild sometimes. In Australia some lavenders are invasive species, so they can be used as weeds in Australian landscapes. Lilacs :(Peony on Wikipedia) Lilacs are plants in the genus Syringa, which occurs throughout Europe and Asia. The Yellow Lilacs introduced in The Sims 3: World Adventures is based upon the primrose lilac - Syringa vulgaris - which prefers full sunlight or partial shade, and which can tolerate quite cool temperatures but is not frost hardy. Lilacs are naturalised in the United States of America, but would not be common in colder regions (ie, you might not realistically want to put them in colder Canadian-themed worlds). Marigolds :(Marigold on Wikipedia) Marigolds are plants in the genus Tagetes, and they grow well in almost any soil. They are native to the Americas, but have become a very widely cultivated garden plant around the world. They are naturalised in Africa, Hawaii, and Australia. Marigolds can be reasonably frost-hardy, so they might appear in colder worlds. Pansies :(Pansies on Wikipedia) Pansies are a very widespread variety of plant derived from violas. They are an annual plant and not suitable to hot climates, so don't pop them into gardens in your desert worlds. Pansies do not handle damp areas well as they are easily threatened by snails and mildew, so you probably do not want to put them in dark, damp corners around a house - keep them in the sun. Peonies :(Peony on Wikipedia) Peonies are native to Asia, southern Europe, and western North America, but are cultivated in gardens around the world. The peony introduced in The Sims 3: World Adventures is based on Paeonia ludlowii, a Chinese peony that grows in sparse forests, woods, and thickets. It is therefore probably not ideal for crowding into gardens, preferring a bit of space to itself on the lot. Tree peonies like Paeonia ludlowii need a climate that alternates seasonally between warm and cold to grow well, so they are not suitable for tropical worlds, or very cold worlds. Roses :(Roses on Wikipedia) Roses are an enormously popular garden flower. Maybe you've heard of them? Yeah. I was into them before they were even famous. Plant these all over the place, although the Pink Roses could pass as briar roses, which are a weed, and therefore they and the Wild Rosey Roses might fit into overgrown lots alongside gardens. Sunflowers :(Sunflower on Wikipedia) Sunflowers are native to the Americas, although people introduced them to Europe in the 16th century. They are closely related to marigolds. Sunflowers need full sun to grow, so place them in warmer, sunnier worlds and and on brighter, more open lots. Although sunflowers are renowned for following the sun this is actually a myth - sunflower heads typically face east and don't move, so you might be tempted to place them with their heads facing in the direction of your sunrise. =Trees= Ashes :(Ash on Wikipedia) Ashes are trees in the genus Fraxinus, related to olives and lilacs. They enjoy a wide distribution around the globe, including throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. Let's face it, Fraxinus is a cool name for a genus, so you probably want to use these. The ones that appear in The Sims 3 are not based on clearly defined species of Ash, and can be assumed generic. Ashes are native to temperate and subtropical parts of the Northern Hemispere, but cultivated also as decorative trees in some temperate parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Oaks :(Oak, Oak Chestnut,Red Oak & Oak Moss on Wikipedia) Oaks are trees in the genus Quercus, and there are very wide variety of these. The trees labelled just as "Oak" in The Sims 3 represent European white oaks, which are large deciduous trees. Oak species are very versatile and grow in a huge range of environments - from semi-desert to rainforest. Oaks were popular trees with European colonists, and appear introduced into many countries that were colonised, often used as large ornamental trees in parks and gardens. Oak Chestnut trees are still in the genus Quercus, so proper oaks. They are native to the eastern United States of America, and sometimes also called rock oaks. They are not usually large, so use the bigger version sparingly. They are often canopy in oak-heath forests, and grow predominantly in rocky upland forests. Red Oak trees are oaks in the section Querus Lobatae, however the red oak in The Sims 3 is probably modeled on small Querus rubra specifically. This tree grows in a wide range of American forests, is less common as canopy in oak-heath forests than other oaks, and favours growing on well-drained stream banks. Oak Moss is a kind of lichen, Evernia prunastri, that grows primarily on the trunk and branches of oak trees, therefore the oak moss tree in The Sims 3 is presumably an infested oak tree. Oak moss grows on trees in mountainous temperate forests. =Misc= Dead Trees & Logs